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Cover Crop Field Day March 26 in Carroll County

AMES, Iowa — Iowa Learning Farms will host a field day, along with Practical Farmers of Iowa, on Tuesday, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the American Legion in Dedham. The field day will focus on cover crops and no-till systems for erosion control and soil health. The event includes a visit to the Mike Sporrer farm, rural Dedham.

The field day will include presentations by Steve Nebel, a southeast Iowa no-till and cover crop farmer, who will share his experiences with cover crops including mixes and aeriel seeding. Also speaking is Jeff Rasawehr, a cover crop farmer from Celina, Ohio. He will talk about the benefits of cover crops such as soil quality improvement and soil microbial activity. Clint Miller, Carroll County Natural Resources Conservation Service district conservationist, will provide updates on cost-shares available. During the field visit to Mike Sporrer’s farm, attendees can discuss cover crop issues with a panel of local farmers, from the Certified Conservation Farmers group, who have implemented cover crops on their acres.

The event is free and includes a complimentary lunch. The public is invited to attend, but an RSVP is recommended. To register for this event, please call the Carroll County Soil and Water Conservation District office at 712-729-1212 ext. 3.

The field day will be held at the American Legion Hall, 302 Main St., Dedham. The field site is at the Mike Sporrer farm, 22943 Highway 141, Dedham. The site is located one-half mile west of Dedham.

Iowa Learning Farms takes a grassroots approach offering innovative ways to help all Iowans have an active role in keeping the state’s natural resources healthy and not take them for granted. A goal of Iowa Learning Farms is to build a Culture of Conservation, encouraging the adoption of residue management and conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best in-field management practices that increase water and soil quality while remaining profitable.

Iowa Learning Farms is a partnership of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service and Iowa Department of Natural Resources (USEPA section 319), in cooperation with Conservation Districts of Iowa, the Iowa Farm Bureau and the Iowa Water Center.